Summer Breeze Kisses - Addison Moore Page 0,148

up in the brawl. Bodies fly, limbs flail, and just as quick as it started, it ends in a quiet hush as all parties cease at once.

Security shows up in droves, escorting Rex and Lawson to the exit, and the rest of our party follows them out.

“Good Lord!” Lynette cries into the warm night as she delicately presses her palm to Rex’s face. “He’s bruising!” she barks it out with enough enthusiastic fervor for one to assume she meant hemorrhaging. She looks to Lawson and snarls a moment before regaining her stoic composure. “But I don’t blame you, sweetheart. Rex and Scarlett have been asking for trouble all night long.”

“What?” I hop to Rex’s side now that his own mother is siding with the enemy, even if the enemy is my own brother. “Rex and I are in love.” I wince when I say it, considering we’ve hardly rounded first base, both emotionally and physically. “You can’t just freak out whenever we decide to show a public display of affection.”

“Yes,” Rex agrees, interlacing our fingers once again. “I’m going to hold her hand. We’re bound to kiss again.” Rex offers a quick squeeze as if reassuring me privately of this fact, and my insides explode with heat. I’d be more than happy to offer Rex Toberman’s tongue a home for the night—for display purposes, of course.

My body slaps with heat from head to toe, because let’s face it, I’m in this for far more than just public displays of affection. Rex has made me feel things no other boy has even come close to. And now, there’s a nagging ache deep in my gut that says what started as an act is about to blossom into the real deal, at least on my part.

“Don’t kiss her around me.” Lawson’s chest heaves as if he were ready to initiate World War Three again.

“Or me.” Dad offers an apologetic shrug to Rex. “I get it. You’re smitten, but for the sake of the family, would the two of you mind toning it down a bit? You went off like a dog in heat, Rex. This is the country club for cripes’ sake.” He takes a step toward me. “Batter Bits, are you okay? Did he leave bite wounds?”

“Bite wounds? Dog in heat?” Lynette’s eyebrow does its best to wriggle free from the Botox prison she’s imprisoned her flesh in. “I beg to differ. I saw the whole thing. Your little Batter Bits practically threw herself on Rexy, and he simply did what he does best—caught a falling object. She’s the one who jumped his bones, as the kids would say. It was her legs wrapped around my poor, sweet son. And no thanks to your wild brood, he’s nursing a black eye.” Her hands float to Rex’s cheek once again.

“Lynette!” Dad balks, and just like that, the two of them go at it.

Rex and I exchange guilt-riddled grins.

“Excuse me.” Sabrina shuttles me off all the way to valet parking. “I knew this was all a ruse!” she snipes in my face so fast her spittle lands in my eye.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I touch the corner of my lid with my pinkie in an effort to blink away my sister’s physical disdain. She always was a spitter. I’m sure Duncan has long since discovered this little bit of salivary trivia. I hope he’s geared up for a lifetime of verbal sprayings. Not only will he have to listen to her bull, he’ll have to wipe it from his face.

“You and Rex.” She shakes her head as if pitying me, and that alone is the single greatest dislike of mine in the world. Sabrina has made feeling sorry for me a sport, and I loathe that more than I loathe that boob-baring dress she’s wearing. “You’re faking this to drive Dad and Lynette apart.” She glances over her shoulder as the two of them continue to riot in one another’s faces. “And I hope you’re satisfied. It looks as if you’ve gotten your wish.” She clucks her tongue. “And to think that man actually had a modicum of happiness in his life for a moment. Face it, Scar Scar. You just aren’t happy unless everyone is as miserable as you. I thought you were better than that. Honestly, I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“What?” I shriek so loud all faces turn in our direction. “I’m afraid that’s you, Sabrina. You’re the one who tries to control everything and everyone.” Rex